Wall-hung bathroom furniture does not answer the need of all UK customers, as the popularity of floorstanding storage continues to demonstrate

Provence from Ambiance Bain features a country-style Shaker fascia and is shown here with a curved door in Safari

While wall-hung modular furniture may be the go-to for consumers, who desire the look of a boutique hotel bathroom, there has been a revival of floorstanding furniture.

Alongside wall-hung vanities and tall units, enter the Mid-Century-inspired washstand and a choice of contemporary-style fitted cabinetry.

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Marketing manager of Harrison Bathrooms Peter Woodward comments: “Freestanding and fitted furniture are rising in popularity and can bring some serious storage solutions to a bathroom.”

And between the two styles, they answer the interior trends for cohesion at one end of the scale and eclecticism at the other.

Freestanding favourites

Commercial director of Brandt Design Julia Steadman explains the popularity of freestanding furniture, commenting: “Freestanding furniture is becoming desirable as a custom way to add character and provide ample storage in bigger spaces.

Utopia Bathrooms‘ Qube is available in a choice of colours, including Azure

“As the master suite concept develops, with generous bathrooms and dressing areas off the master bedroom, we are seeing that armoire-style storage is in demand to store towels, toiletries and cleaning products away from the wet zone.”

It provides the design advantages of being easier to plan, as head of marketing at Utopia Helen Clark states: “Freestanding furniture solutions have always been very popular, a little easier to plan and install than a fully fitted run of furniture but also very easy to drop in as a quick upgrade without having to redirect and change any water supplies that come up through the floor.”

While Karen Jervis, chartered marketer, at Ambiance Bain, points out freestanding furniture could also be a more eco-conscious choice if furniture pieces were reused in the bathroom: “Freestanding furniture, if created using recycled furniture, offers a sustainable alternative to buying new. However, this will not be suitable for everyone.”

Fitted advantages

Whereas fitted furniture offers planning advantages in difficult to design areas.

Calm fitted furniture, from Tavistock Bathrooms, is shown in a 1500mm length and in grey gloss, with a white vessel basin

Senior category manager of Tavistock Bathrooms Keith Alcock points out: “Fitted bathroom furniture is the ideal solution to awkward bathroom layouts and makes good use of nooks, corners and disused space.

“Likewise fitted cabinetry is a great way to conceal unsightly pipework to give a clean, uncluttered and a cohesive bathroom look.”

However, interestingly, it also offers retailers an advantage over DIY competitors, as it is considered more design expertise is required to plan the space and it also opens up additional sales, as Keith Alcock of Tavistock states:  “For the retailer, fitted furniture is a good opportunity to upsell complementary products such as brassware, mirrors and bathroom lighting.”

Growing popularity

In fact, such is the popularity of freestanding and fitted furniture, Keith Alcock reports: “Our fitted offering makes up about 36% of all sales of furniture and Tavistock is seeing a growth of 30% year-on-year in this category.”

The Scudo Classica freestanding furniture range, from Harrison Bathrooms, is shown here in Silk Stone Grey

While Karen Jervis of Ambiance Bain states fitted furniture accounts for 40% of her company’s sales.

One thing is for certain, freestanding and fitted furniture is not just holding firm but actually growing in sales.

Head of marketing at Roxor Jon Walker states fitted is a “significant” portion of its furniture sales, adding: “While we have a wide variety of modular options, our focus on expanding the fitted furniture range reflects its increasing popularity.”

Colours and customisation

While often associated with more classical schemes, there has been a rejuvenation of freestanding and fitted furniture designs.

HiB Genesis furniture offers units, suitable for wall-hung and floorstanding schemes, with open and closed storage, infill, end panels and plinths

As Shaker styles have moved across into the wall-hung modular ranges, fitted furniture collections are now available with handlessless doors and drawers, a wide range of colours, soft matt textures, and open shelving.

In addition, fitted furniture has also embraced the trend for personalisation through customisation, as Jon Walker of Roxor Group reports: “Our Fusion collection stands out as the most popular fitted range, with consistently growing sales year after year.

“Fusion furniture offers a high degree of customisability, allowing customers to choose from six colours, including gloss greys and woodgrain finishes. It also provides multiple options for worktops and basins.”

And sales director of HiB Ash Chilver has also found the demand for customisation driving sales of its Novum Fabrica range, offering wall-hung and floorstanding units: “Because the customer has the opportunity to choose the unit and finish, handle type, basin style, worktop and brassware, the range has really offered the design customisation of fitted in a modular configuration and it has been one of our fastest-growing ranges in recent years.”

Mix and match

Of course, it may not simply be the case of choosing one style of furniture over another.

Sonas Bathrooms Stockholm floorstanding unit reflects the trend for matt black

Manufacturers have worked hard to create styles and palettes that work together, complementing and contrasting, to create furniture that can suit the individual needs and wants of consumers.

Jon Walker of Roxor Group continues: “Both fitted and modular furniture can be installed together in the same bathroom scheme. The only limitations are the available space and the customer’s design vision.”

Whatever furniture or combination of furniture is chosen by a customer, the importance is that storage is included in bathroom scheme, as Keith Alcock concludes: “The addition of furniture into a bathroom for the retailer represents a larger sales value per bathroom and so it is in their interest to maximise that whilst also being a huge, practical benefit to their customer.”